Beauties and the Beasts
by abesgoldenfriend
Summary: Some Hellboy stuff, mixed with classic tales, and my own little twist. AbexNuala NuadaxOc HellboyxLiz. rated for implyed sex and breff discription.
1. Chapter 1

"Once upon a time in a kingdom of Bethmoora lived a King and his Queen. There subjects were a happy people and the prosperity of their race seemed never ending. One day there came a happy announcement that the Queen was pregnant. Thirteen months later twins were born. Twins are very unusual for the elves, and these two even more so. They were connected with each other in a way never before heard of. They were connected with mind and body. Adding to that they both got a special gift form the gods.

"But the King's blessing that were his children came with a curse. Elvin women, being small in frame, were not suited for giving birth to twins. The Queen died just after she gave birth to the second. The King and his kingdom both rejoiced and sorrowed. Rejoicing because of the two tinny heirs to the throne, and sorrowed because of the loss of their Queen.

"Three years later the humans started to move against the fey. The humans and the fey were at war for many years. When the twins were seventeen the King and his people were losing the war, and he was getting desperate. A goblin came to him and offered to build the King a Golden Army that could not be stopped. The Prince, who had been in the battles and seen his friends slaughtered by the humans, begged his father to say yes. And the King did.

"The Golden Army was made, and the next battle in between the humans and the fay didn't end well. The King's army not only slaughtered the humans' army, but those who weren't fighting as well. The army killed not only soldiers, but women, old ones and children. The army couldn't tell the difference. The King regretted his chose. He sent out an offer of truce, one that the humans accepted without hesitation. Though they were not at was anymore they were far from peace. The humans made it illegal for fey to be in human land without permission. But that law wasn't the only thing that cursed the fey. The gods decided to punish the fey, so they took what was most precious to them: their children. Every child born within three years of the wars' beginning disappeared, all except the prince and princess. None know why only these two were spared, least of all the king. Seeing all the children there age and younger die changed the prince and princess. The prince blamed the humans, saying that it was there fault. The princess blamed no one, saying that it was a simple fact and that it was no one's fault. But the King knew better. It was his fault, and only his fault. The King had the crown that controlled the Golden Army broken, and gave one to the humans and kept two for his own.

"The prince wished to continue the war, but all refused. So he set out to find the humans' piece of the crown, so that he might again start the Great War again," Professor Trevor Bruttenholm finished. He put the book down and turned back to his children. He had two sons and a daughter, none of which were his. Professor Bruttenholm was a traveler, and he has come across many different things in his day. They were still traveling. He needed to get his kids somewhere safe, before it was too late. Trevor looked at his oldest son.

His name was Hellboy. The red skinned demon grinned at his father, his stone hand around his brother, and his left around his sister. Cocky, determined, and stubborn. He would do almost anything to protect his family.

"Is that all, Pa?" he asked as he itched his broken horn. Bruttenholm looked around. They were sitting in a train car that's sides were open. It was getting late, and tonight it would drop below zero. Not for the first time he was worried. He and his children needed to get out of human land and into fey lands.

He thought for a moment before answering. "Yes, that is all for tonight." Hellboy groaned. "But Pa." Bruttenholm gave Hellboy a look that made him stop complaining.

"Father, are they real?" asked his second oldest son, Abraham. A unique boy, who was the complete opposite of Hellboy. Abe was quiet, secretive, and loved to read anything, from books to people. He was a blue blood, a race that died out centuries ago, and he wasn't like the old mers at all. He was an icthyo sapien. Not only could he breathe underwater, but he had powers. When he got near people he could read their thoughts and emotions. A similar thing happened when he touched things with his hands, he saw the past and future of whatever the object is.

"What do you mean, Abe?" asked Hellboy. Abe gestured to the book with a graceful hand. "Is thing just a story, or did this happen?" Abe asked. All three of the kids looked up at their father. And their father just smiled at them. "It is going to be real."

Finally the youngest spoke. "What do you mean, Dad?" Elizabeth Sherman asked. Like the others she was different. Only she was human. A human with special powers, a fire starter with raven hair and brown eyes. When she was younger her powers manifested in an explosive way, killing all her friends and family. Since then the Professor took her in and gave her a new family. One that would accept her no matter what.

The professor smiled and handed the book to Abe. Abe tucked it into his backpack. Bruttenholm leaned forward as to tell them a secret, and the three kids moved forward automatically. Trevor pointed at Abe's bag. "That book was given to me by to very special people," he whispered.

"Like us?" Liz asked.

"Sort of," he whispered again. "Their names are Yin and Yang. They were born with special powers, just like you three." The three siblings looked at each other and scooched closer to their father and each other. The temperature was dropping fast. Outside the train car they could hear the life of winter wising past. Bruttenholm continued his story. "Once I met the sisters, and they gave me a book that told stories of thing before they happen."

Abe sucked in an excited breath. "This book!" he said loudly as he pointed to his bag.

"What was that noise?" The strange family looked at each other and sat still.

"Don' know. Let's go check it out." Bruttenholm looked at his children and made a quick decision. "Abe! Grab your bag and go with Hellboy. Liz, follow me. We have to get off this train." The children quickly did what they were told. They learned long ago never question their father when strangers are concerned. They grabbed the small amount of stuff that they brought with them, just as two men walked through the door on either side.

Liz let out a small scream and her hand burst into flames. Bruttenholm grabbed his daughter, not caring that he was getting burned. "Hellboy! Get Abe!" Hellboy grabbed Abe's hand just as the two men ran to catch them. They ran to the other side of the train.

"Grab them!" one of the men yelled as he lunged for the brothers. The other went for the professor and Liz. Bruttenholm looked at the open sides of the trains and to his sons, then at his daughter in his hands, to the two men that were trying to catch them. He took a deep breath. Trevor looked at his sons with a pained expression. "Jump!" he called to them, just before he jumped off the train into the snowy mass below carrying Liz. The brothers looked at each other. Both of them had the same worried expression on their faces. They looked out of the train, held their breath and jumped, just as the man grabbed Abe. Hellboy didn't even have time to look back as Abe was yanked out of his hand. Abe watched his brother plunge head first into the snow.

"Got you now, you little freak," the man behind him growled. Abe yanked away from him and jumped. The wind and snow wiped past him and Abe landed with a grunt in the snow. He picked himself up and looked around for his family, not daring to make a sound. Then through the wind he heard a sound. Horses. And lots of them.

Abe ran in the opposite direction, but the snow was so deep that he could scarcely move. A small wine left his lips as he heard the horses get closer. The cold wetness was sinking into his clothes sending shivers down his spine. They were getting closer. He could feel it. Abe pulled himself out of the snow just as a hand grabbed his arm. Pain seared through his arm as the man dragged Abe onto his horse.

The man who's horse Abe was on pointed at two others. "You two! Go, and find the others!" The men nodded and galloped away. The man pushed his horse forward into the woods, still holding Abe. When they reached a small clearing the man tossed Abe off of the horse, and grabbed something that glinted in the low light.

Abe tried to get up, but the man simply pushed him down and pulled back the sleeve of his left arm. Abe tried to squirm away from the man. The man grabbed Abe by the neck and dug his knee into Abe's shoulder while his left hand held his wrist. In his right hand he held the silvery object that Abe had seen before. It was a knife. Abe, who was already in enough pain and didn't wasn't to add the knife to the mix, pulled away. The man raised the dagger over his head and plunged it into the ground a half an inch for his face.

"You move, you little maggot, and I'll kill you," the man growled again. Abe was cold and wet from the snow, and he was covered in bruises from this man and from jumping off the train. He couldn't see the dagger, but he felt it tear at his skin. Abe let out a painful yelp as the dagger dug deeper into him. Darkness ate away from the edges of his vision, and the last thing he heard before he collapsed into the dark was three short, strong, beautiful notes.


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own anything Hellboy-ish. Please don't sue.**

Prince Nuada ran through the wood trying to escape his thoughts, or rather his sister's thoughts. He knew that it is not a reliably way to stop feeling his sister's disappointment, and the worry that filled her mind, but he needed to get away from it. He needed to find the human's piece of the crown. Even if his father didn't use the Golden Army in the future, he would have the option. And the humans wouldn't have their hands on an elven artifact.

He stopped running. He was on the edge of the woods. The edge of fey lands. Right know he could go back to his father's castle, but as soon as he got across that border he was on a mission, one that would either help or hinder his people. He heard Wink stop behind him. He turned and looked at the troll. Wink stood there waiting for the prince to make his move. Nuada turned back to the border, and without a second thought he stepped over it. Wink followed his leader over to the human's land. They would help their people, or they would die trying.

"My friend, where do you think that we should start?" he asked with a small smirk. Wink turned looked past his prince, and to a large smoke cloud that marked a human settlement. Nuada turned and looked at the smoke cloud too. He gave a small sinister smile. "I believe that we should start there; it is very stupid of the humans to make a town so close to the border," he said as he started to walk. Wink followed him without a second thought.

Nuada jumped nimbly across the roofs of the town. Wink walked thought the street below him. Wink knew why his master was not just leaving this town. He was looking for humans. He wanted to find them so he could slay them. Even if he only slayed one tonight that was one more pest off the street, one less rat hurting his people.

Nuada stopped running when he heard a scream, then a moan. He walked across the roof until he could look down at the street formed between two buildings. What he saw made him smile; he walked to the other side of the building and jumped off, landing softly next to Wink.

"There is a fight going on in the next alleyway," he said. "Perhaps we should intervene." Without another word he walked into the alleyway, and Wink followed him. In the middle of it there was a small frame person in a long cloak. Around this person lay the bodies of five large men, all who had looks of terror on their faces. Nuada smiled at the bodies. _Perhaps this one will be a bit of a challenge, _he thought_._ Nuada stepped forward, took his lance out, and gestured for Wink to fall back. He twirled the lance around him, executing graceful and terrific moves before he stopped his spear in front of him, it triple its length.

The figure tilted its head. It grabbed the side of its cloak, pulled it towards its shoulder, and bowed. After it turned on its heel and walked away. Nuada bared his teeth. How dare this creature walk away from him! He walked forward and grabbed the shoulder of this thing and spun it around. At the same time he moved his spear forward in attempt to stab this thing. It dodged and spun like a dancer. Many time Nuada swung is silver weapon in attempt to kill this thing, but every time he missed my mere millimeters. Finally he brought his spear down on it when it jumped. In mid jump it brought its foot down on Nuada's shoulder, boosting it up more. Nuada turned and watched as this creature flipped upside down and landed in a hand stand, holding on to a railing of a fire escape mounted to the wall on one of the buildings.

The cloak fell away reviling a small framed, but curvy body. The creature lowered its legs to the railing and let go of it. The woman stood up and looked down on the elf.

"Leave me alone elf," she called down to him, her waist length hair flowing in the slight wind. "I have done nothing to you." With a mighty jump she did a back flip and landed on the roof, and ran away. Nuada stared for a minute, and then began to run after her when Wink caught him.

"Why do you stop me Wink?" Nuada asked angrily. Wink, like usual, said nothing but pointed to the fire escape with his metal. Nuada followed his gaze, still angry, but saw what he was pointing at. On the railing of the fire escape, where her hand had been holding her up, were two hand sized bends in the metal.

"Sire, if she had gotten her hands on you she might have torn you in half," Wink said in trollish, the only language that he knew. Nuada stared at the imprints for a few moments more, and then turned and walked away. _What kind of creature is this?_ He thought.

Alexandria Victorsin woke quietly. _This is going to be a very unusual day,_ she thought. She got up and got dressed. Staying in the human's neck of the woods wasn't that bad of an ordeal for her. The humans thought that vampires were walking rotting corpse. Some are, but she is what they call a pure blood. Also called "the black and white ones". She looked very human. Yes, a pale human, but human none the less.

She pulled a comb through her ink black curls. Most humans thought that the vampires were gone long ago, but they were wrong. "Miss Alex! Would you mind helping me with the market today?" a voice called from down stairs. Alex smiled. She walked out and to the top of the stairs.

"I'd love to, Milly," she yelled down. At the bottom of the stairs sat a young girl with mouse brown hair and twitchy hand. As Alex walked down the stairs the little girl looked up at her with a smile, hugging her doll close to her chest. "Good morning, Miss Mandy", she said as she sat down next to the little girl.

"Hi, Alex," she said shyly. Alex tussled the girl's hair and walked into the kitchen. In there was a small woman working over a boiling stove. The hair stick that was supposed to hold her mousey hair back in a bun wasn't doing its job. Alex walked over and leaned against the hot stove.

"Good morning Milly,"she said loudly. Milly jumped, letting go of the goblin fruit bread that she that had just got done with baking. Alex stuck out her foot and lifted it. When the bread hit her foot she lowered it with the bread, then balancing it she lifted her foot and stuck it out to Milly. Milly scowled at the vampire and grabbed the bread. She placed it on a table with dozens of pies, breads, and cakes.

"Must you surprise me so?" she said. Alex walked over and smelled the bakery products.

"They all smell wonderful," she said smelling the sweet scents of the pies. Then she wrinkled her noise. "Except for that one," she said pointing to bread with green bits in it.

Milly nodded. "Coupnettle Bread. A bitter minty smell to go with a bitter minty taste," she said as she started to load the smallest cakes and pies into a child sized basket. When Mandy walked in Milly handed her the basket, and started loading the bigger cakes and pies into a bigger basket.

Alex waved her hand in front of her noise. She never did like the smell of mint. "Who would buy such a thing?" she asked as she put the breads into the box, holding the Coupnettle Bread with the tips of her fingers.

"Mister Lioan," Milly said as she put on her cloak. Mandy put down her basket and doll and did the same.

Alex made a small noise in disgust. "That guy is bitter enough as it is. He doesn't need help from goblin fruit." She pulled on her black gloves and fastened her cloak around her neck.

"Mommy, how come Alex's cloak has sleeves and ours doesn't?" Mandy picked up her basket and put it into the crock of her arm, then picked up her dolly and hugged it to her chest again. Milly looked at Alex's cloak and shrugged. Mandy nodded and waited by the door. Milly grabbed her basket and went to stand by her daughter. She pulled Mandy's hood over her face and pulled her own up. Alex shook her head, pulled her hood up, grabbed the box of breads, and together they walked out of the house.

Alex sat down in a chair and played three notes on a flute. Three short, strong, beautiful notes, the only three that she could play on this damned instrument. By her feet Mandy sat playing with her doll, to her right Milly sold her one of her Amaranthine pies.

"Mommy, can I go play?" Mandy asked while scratching her silky ears. Milly looked around. She knew everyone in the community, but strangers popped in from time to time. _Just like the elf that Alex mentioned last night,_ she thought. She thought for a few moments then nodded. Mandy smiled and scampered away.

"Just stay close!" Milly yelled after her. She shook her head after her daughter.

Alex stood up. "Cool. Now we have time to talk."

"About what?" She said as she sold a Peckery pie to a windwing.

Alex gestured at the bakery goods. "Your goblin fruit stuff. We both know that going into the Hedge is dangerous."

Milly shook her head. "My lady is protecting me. We have an agreement, and true fey can't lie or break their word."

Alex shrugged and raised her hands in defeat. "I was just letting you know what I think."

"I know," she sighed.

Mandy Mousee walked through the street when she saw something on the roof. Whatever it was it was pretty. She tied Dolly to the rope around her waist and looked up. There was a large wooden pole that almost reached the top of the roofs. She smiled and jumped on to it, her sharp claws piercing the wood, her hairless tail rapping around it. When she got to the top she let out a squeal at what she saw. Whatever it was it was _very_ cool.

Alex was playing her flute. The same three notes again and again. She smiled as a small gust of wind blew her hair around. Then she smelled it. A smell that make her moan, made her lean her head back, close her eyes, and breathe in though slightly parted lips.

It was _him_. The elf dude, the one that attacked her last night. Alex put on her cloak, walked out of the shadows, and followed the scent until she found herself next to the big wooden pole in the town square. _What is the point of this thing again?_ She thought.

She ran her hand over the wood feeling small puncture marks in the pole. She recognized them instantly, but she really hoped that they weren't what she thought they were. She smelled the pole, smelling mice and cupcakes. _Mandy, you idiot,_ she thought. With a steel determination she sunk her fingers into the pole and started to climb.

Nuada was watching the creature that had evaded him last night. It sat in the shadow of the booth that its ally was selling at. The smaller one walked off when it suddenly looked up spotting him and Wink. It smiled and climbed the wooden pole that seemed to have no purpose and walked over to them.

He glared at the small mouse thing when it walked up to him and smiled even more.

"Who are you?" she asked

"Who I might be is not for your knowing, small ratling."

"You're pretty," she said getting closer to him. Her hairless tail moved around her, her talon hand holding on to that dirty doll. He was about to send her away when he got an idea. He looked back at that creature, and pointed at it.

"Do you know that thing?" he asked.

Mandy moved forward, eager to help the pretty stranger. When she saw who he was pointing at she gave a small gasp and moved back to where Wink was standing.

"Do you know that?"

"'Corse I do," the tinny mouse-human thing said. "That's Mommy's friend. Alex." She stood on her tippy toes to see over it, only to stop abruptly. "If she sees me up here talking to a stranger she'll get mad. And you won't like her when she's mad."

A small breeze washed over them tossing their hair around. Nuada watched as the wind flower over the creature. He continued watching as she leaned her head back and smelled the air. She stood and walked over to the same meaningless pole and smelled it. Nuada turned when a small giggle and a growl came from behind him.

"Your fun," the mouse creature said to Wink. She had wrapped her arms, legs, and tail around his leg. Wink shook his leg trying to get the small thing off.

"Mandy, that might not be a good choice," said a cold voice. Nuada turned to see the thing behind, but she wasn't looking at him. She held out her arm and the young mouse, much to Wink's relief, ran over and hugged. She crouched to the mouseling's height.

"Mandy, your mum told you to stay close," she said to the young one. The young one bent her head in shame.

"Yes, Alex."

Nuada glared at this "Alex". Who was she to ignore him?

"Woman," he said.

The creature looked up, and then looked around. "Are you talking to me?" she asked as she got closer.

Mandy looked from her mommy's best friend to the pretty thing with the scar across its face. "I'm going back to Mommy," she said as she backed up.

"No, please stay," Nuada said as he gestured to Wink. The troll grabbed the little girl and pulled her into his arms. Alex walked forward to help when she felt something sharp agents her neck. Nuada pushed the tip of his spear into the creature's neck.

"Take off your hood," he commanded. He wanted to see the fear in her eyes as he kills her. The figure shook her head.

"I can't. I'll burn," she explained with her hands up. This elf was holding Mandy captive. He wanted blood, even more than her. "Listen; if you give the girl back to her mother I will trade something for her."

Nuada, ageist his wishes, got curious. "What will you trade?" he asked suspiciously.

Alex thought quickly. Mandy's life was in the balance. "I find people. Right now I'm on break, but I will put that aside for Mandy's life."

Nuada narrowed his eyes. "You say that you can find people, what about things?"

Alex shrugged. "Don't know, never tried. But as long as I have a smell sample I can find it."

"Like a hound dog," he said with a small smile. A loud catlike hiss came from the hooded creature. _What is this thing? _He thought.

"We do not have to like each other, but in this land I am the best thing you have."

Nuada looked at the little girl and back to the creature. "Fine." He gestured for Wink to give the child back. The girl ran to the thing, hugged it, and then ran back to its mother. The thing watched her go. When she was gone the thing turned back to the elf, took of its glove and held out her hand. Nuada watched the hand as it began to steam in the sun. The hand erupted in blisters only to pop a second later. Nuada took the snow white hand, felling a soft and almost fragile hand, if it wasn't for the blisters.

"I swear to you, on my honor, that I will help you find whatever you're looking for," the woman said.

Nuada nodded. Wink closed his large hand around both of theirs.

"Deal," he said in troll. Alex looked at him, and then leaned forward towards the elf.

"What'd he say?"

**Please comment or review. I'd love to hear feedback of how I'm doing so far. Please no flame. **


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Hellboy or Hellboy stuff. Isn't that what this website is for?**

Nuada waked to the specified location. After they made their deal she had drawn a crude map on his hand with charcoal of where to meet up.

"Why am I following _her _directions?" he asked out loud. Wink, who was standing behind him, shrugged. They reached a small two story house. Alexandria stood outside the front door carrying a backpack and her cloak.

Nuada couldn't help but stare at her. She was beautiful, even though she was picking her teeth with a knife. Long curly ebony hair, dark eyes, but he couldn't place the color. Skin a white a fresh fallen snow, a slim frame, but she did have some curves. Her face was the perfect look of innocence on a child, but deeper he saw something dark. Something wild, something that he might just bring out.

Alex turned and saw Nuada. "You ready to go?" she asked.

Nuada paid no attention to her question, but instead tried to her angry. "You should pay more attention. I could have killed you without your knowing."

"I could hear you since you reached the town square. I could smell you before that. I have better things to worry about then a weakling elf," she finished with a smile. Alex was very good at annoying people. Most of the people in her home hated her because of that.

Nuada gridded his teeth. "I am no weakling," he growled at her.

Alex just smiled at him. "Compared to me you are. So, are we going or not?"

Nuada sneered at the vampire. "You do you think you are?"

"I'm the vampire who is going to help you find whatever you're looking for."

Nuada momentarily forgot his anger. "You're a vampire?"

"Yeah," she said with a smile that made him feel like an idiot.

"I thought that they were dead," he said with wonder.

"We aren't dead," she said with a small said smile. "We've been hiding. It's a good thing too."

"Why is that a good thing? I want my people to be known, with both fear and envy."

Alex shrugged. "Humans think that we're dead. If they knew that vampires were still alive then I would be under interest more than now. So when are we going?"

"Now," he said as he turned, and walked away. Alex shrugged and walked after him. She turned around, waving at Milly and Mandy who sat at the top story window. Alex watched them wave back, and then felt her back into something really hard. Turning she saw the elf's troll friend.

"Sorry," she said.

The troll shrugged. After saying something in a language she didn't know he started to walk again. Alex frowned and ran ahead to Nuada.

"What did he say?" she asked. Nuada looked at her.

"You don't speak troll?" he asked. She shook her head. "Why not?" he asked.

Alex shrugged. "Never needed to. So what did he say?"

"He said 'all is forgiven'," the elf translated.

"Cool. I wouldn't like him on my case."

Nuada turned and stopped. The vampire was close behind him, so when he stopped she ran into him.

"Who are you? You are a vampire, one that finds people, spends her breaks in the human lands, and uses _slang_," he fumed at her.

She just shrugged. "I am me. I can only be me; I don't know how to be anyone else." She started to walk past him. "Also, my name is Alexandria Josefina Victorsin. Not 'vampire' and certainly not 'woman'. You can call me either: 'Alexandria' or 'Alex' or 'Aj', but that is it."

Nuada narrowed his eyes at her. "I shall call you whatever I wish."

Again Alex only shrugged. "'Kay. But just remember, I might not respond."

The walked for the rest of the night. They were halfway to a forest when the sun came up. After a few minutes Nuada took a deep breath, hoping to breathe fresh air, only to inhale an awful smell.

"Even human air is awful," he said through a wrinkled nose. "What is that smell?"

"My skin," said a stern voice from behind him. Turning he saw that Alexandria had put on her cloak. Even though she was in the shadow of her cloak he could see the damage the sun caused her.

The vampire nodded to the trees. "Can we be to the trees by night? That would be helpful."

Nuada nodded. They kept walking until the forest, and they go there as soon as the sun went down. They walked until they reached a clearing in the center of the forest. All of them sat down in a circle. Wink laid down and fell asleep. Alex watched the elf, and the elf watched the fire that Alex set up.

Slowly Alex pulled back her hood. "You know, you never told me your name," she said as she took off her cloak.

"My name is Nuada," the elf said slowly, deciding whether to put his title on it or not. He decided not. She didn't seem like the person that cared.

"So…" she started as she took off her shoes and socks. "Where are we going?"

Nuada finally looked at her. "That is not my job. That is your job."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "So you don't know where this thing is?"

"No."

Alex thought for a moment. "Yeah," she said with a shrug. "I can work with that." After thinking she stood up.

Nuada watched her stand up out of the corner of his eyes, having turned back to the fire. He watched as she pulled at the bottom of her white linen shirt. Shocked, he turned as watched her pull it over her eyes, exposing her sleeveless undershirt. The black cotton was in contrast to her skin, but it gave her chest shape. The undershirt u-cut gave a little view to the white mounds beneath. He couldn't help but stare.

"Hey!" Nuada eyes flashed up to her eyes. "You okay?" she asked as she pulled her shirt off of her arms and through it aside. Nuada blinked twice.

"Why did you take off your shirt?" he asked, almost with nervously Alex noticed.

She made a face. "I'm not going to sleep in it."

"Why did you stand to take off your shirt?" he asked as he gestured up and down her body.

Alex gave him a look. "I didn't get up to take off my shirt."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I got up to take off my pants," she said as she reached for her waist band. Nuada leapt up. She gave him a confused look.

"Why are you…?" he asked. Nuada watched the vampire tuck her hair behind her ear.

"I'm not going sleep in my clothes. They get dirty and smelly faster. Would… Do you not want me to?" she asked slowly.

Nuada nodded. "Yes. I rather you didn't."

"Okay," she said with a shrug and sat down. But this one was less carefree then the rest. "Are you going to get ready for bed?" Nuada answer didn't for a minute. She was sitting below him. He could see a bit down her shirt. _Not enough,_ he thought. The way she was positioned made two of her straps on one shoulder loosen a bit. Instead of holding tight to her shoulder it was on her arm. The way she looked up at him and her wild hair framing her face, it made him forget to breathe for a minute. Finally he remembered who he was, why she was here, and that they weren't alone.

"Of course," he said as he turned away from her, not willing to see her face as he got undressed. Alex fixed her tank top and bra straps and braided her hair as she watched him take off his armor. Then his other clothes. She grabbed her bag when he took off his final shirt, throwing the loss silk to the ground. She had taken out a map that Milly had given to her as she watched him take off his shoes. The whole time he got undressed she had held her breath. Thankfully she didn't need to breathe.

"Holy Lords," she said under her breath. He was _gorgeous_. But she looked at his back. She was looking at it the whole time, but she wasn't _seeing_ him. The scars that lined his back and arms.

"How did you get your scars?" she asked.

After taking off all of his clothing except his pant in front of a maiden Nuada turned around. After siting he answered her question.

"I got them serving in the Great War. A war that your people conveniently disappeared for."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "The Queen declared that we, as a people, would remain neutral, but that individuals could join either the Fey's army or the human's army." She looked down before continuing. "My father was one of those people. So was my aunt."

Nuada looked at her. "You aunt fought in battle?"

Alex balled up her hands. "Unlike yours and the humans' cultures women in my country are equal to men. They have the same advantages that the males have, and males have any advantages that the females have."

"Did you family come back?"

Alex turned away, even though she was still looking down. "My aunt did. At first, at least."

Nuada tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"She was on the humans' side. She got severely injured when the unit she was in got attacked by the Golden Army. She was sent home. Her wound healed, but she never got better. A few months later she committed suicide."

Nuada spit into the fire. "Then I cannot say that I am unhappy that a creature supporting the humans died at my peoples' hands."

Alex's head wiped up, not believing what he said. "She didn't join the humans' army because she supported them. She joined them because she was mad at my dad."

Nuada sat forward. "Explain."

"My dad left his family, my mom, my half-brother, and me to fight in the Great War. That really ticked my aunt off. So when he joined the elves she joined the humans, just to make him mad."

Nuada laughed at this. "Just like a woman," he said through his laughs.

Alex glared at him. When he stopped laughing he noticed her glare. It was pure anger, mixed with rage, disbelief, and could that be a little bit of pity?

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Nuada smiled. "Your Father died in battle. What more honorable way for it is there?"

Alex's anger turned to disbelief. "I don't care about honor. What I did care about was that all the grown-ups in my family died! My parents, Nuada! My Parents! I had to take care of my brother and sister! All by myself! I was fifteen! Maybe in your country girls start taking care of children at fifteen, but not in mine!" She sighed. _How could Wink still be asleep after that?_ He thought. "They left me all alone to take care of a 13 year old and a newborn. How is that honorable?" she asked.

Nuada never got the chance to answer that question. After her explosion she picked up her map and pointed to a spot near the border. "We're here," she said. She pointed to another spot on the map, almost on the other side of the human lands. "We need to be here," she said.

Nuada studied the map. "That trip will take five days, maybe six. Time that we do not have. Why do you need to go there?"

"Let me answer your question with a question. Can you glamor?" she asked. She smiled when Nuada nodded. "What about your friend?" she said nodding to Wink, who was still sleeping.

Nuada shook his head. "Wink cannot use glamor."

Alex shrugged. "Oh well, my plan will work anyway."

Nuada sat forward again. "Tell me about your plan."

Alex smiled. "Okay we are here, and we need to be here," she said pointing to spots on the map.

"Why do we need to go there?"

Alex held up a finger. "There are people there who owe me a favor who can tell us where whatever we're looking for is."

"And that will take us five or six days."

"Wrong. It will only take us three days."

Nuada looked at the vast distance between where they are and where they are trying to go. "Explain."

Alex pointed to a spot on the map about half a day away. "There is a family there who owes me a favor. They will give us food and money. We spend the rest of the night there. Next we will walk about six hours to a nearby rail way town and stay at a hotel for the rest of the day. The next day we will by train tickets for a husband, his wife, and there troll servant-"

"Why are we spending a day in a human settlement instead of just going on the train? Also why are you going to pose for my wife?" he asked.

"Two days from now, the day were arriving to the town, is on Sunday. Nothing is open on Sunday." Nuada nodded at this. Humans and there strange ways of worship. "And I'm posing as your wife because it's against the law for women to travel the rail alone. Now, may I continue?" When Nuada nodded and she started up again. "Okay, we will ride the train for about eighteen hours and when we get there we will ask them about your object."

Nuada thought about the plan. "What about the last six hours?"

Alex shrugged for the thirteenth time. "In case something weird goes down. Like if the train breaks down or there is some funky weather. So, what do you think?"

Nuada thought about it for a while. And then he nodded.

Alex smiled. But as she layed down with her back to him her smile disappeared. _Does he really think that way about what I told him about my family?_ She thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Don't own Hellboy. There is no way I'm going to make money off of this. I don't own Hellboy.**

Nuada woke to find that Wink and Alexandria were already awake. He sat up and glared at the two of them.

"Why did you not wake me?" he asked as he pulled on his shoes.

Alex shrugged. "You looked like you'd stab one of us if we woke you up," she said as she bit into a blood red root that looked similar like a heart. She spotted his looking at it. _Or maybe,_ she thought,_ he's looking at my breasts, seeing as how they are level with one another. _She held up the root. "It's called bloodroot. It's not as good as real blood, but it works well enough." She grabbed a fruit from her bag that looked like a red eggplant and tossed it to Nuada, who caught it.

"Are these vampireic plants?" he asked weighing the fruit.

"No," she said as she finished the bloodroot.

"Are they human?" Nuada held the plant away from him, as though it was poisonous.

"No," she said as she packed up her bag.

Nuada stared at the fruit some more. "Are they fey?"

Alex stopped putting her cloak on and looked at the fruit in Nuada's hand. "Sort of, but not really."

Nuada frowned. "What do you mean?"

Alex shook her head and looked around, as though afraid of being overheard. "Not here, and not this close to open season."

Nuada looked at Wink, who just shrugged his shoulders. "You are afraid of these beings?"

Alex looked at Nuada. "I am not afraid of them. I'm afraid of what they could do to me." She turned away and put on her cloak the rest of the way.

Nuada looked at the fruit in his hand to his friend. "Wink, did you have one of these?" Nuada asked in troll.

The troll shook his head. "I had something called 'Coupnettle Bread'. It was not that bad."

Nuada looked down at the fruit. He hesitated then took a bight. He blinked twice in surprise. Along with a rich flavor came a sudden burst of energy, all of his hunger disappeared, and for a few seconds he thought he was a god. He swallowed his mouth full of fruit, and handed the fruit back to Alex. She smiled as she took it back, rapped it with a cloth, and put it back in her bag. She looked at his face, looked him up and down, and then smiled a little more.

"Ummm…" she said.

"What is it this time," he asked.

The vampire motioned around her face with her hands. "You got a little… umm… everywhere actually. Here," she said as she knelt before him. He moved away from her, but she simple moved forward. Using her hand she wiped the juice away from the prince's mouth. He blinked in surprise again. Then he brought his hand up and shoved her away. Quickly he stood and tried to look above what just happened, even though he still had leaves in his hair from sleeping.

"What are you doing?" he asked and at the same time the she asked: "What was that for?"

They looked at each other for a moment. "I was helping. You had stuff on your face," she tried to explain.

Nuada narrowed his eyes at her. "If I want your help, I will ask for it."

Alex shrugged. "Okay." She looked at the juices on her hand. Without even glancing at Nuada she brought her hand to her mouth. One by one she popped her fingers in her mouth, sucking off the juice. Nuada looked at this woman with disbelief. _Does she know what it looks like she's doing? _He thought. Nuada looked at Wink, who shook his head, not believing either. When he turned back she was done and putting on her gloves. She looked at the two off them, opened her mouth to say something, but them stopped and shook her head. She shrugged then poked at the fire with her foot. Nuada watched her for a minute while he put the rest of his clothes back on. This female didn't seem like the kind that broke easily. But there was something different from when they met the first time. And he would find out what.

They walked for at least half a day. Wink watched his master and the female ovoid each other. He knew what was wrong. The prince was not aware of how much this girl could take, so he was going to test her. The girl was the kind who spoke out right when she didn't like someone or something. Wink was a very good judge of character, but this one was something different, and the prince knew that. That's why his head was bowed for most of the journey, he was thinking. But the girl walked as though she didn't have a care in the world. But her hands were balled up. And every few seconds she would look and the prince. Nothing really happened for most of the journey, but half way through something happened.

She started to run.

Nuada say her dash out of the corner of his eyes. She was trying to get away! In raged his ran too. Alex was very fast, but so was Nuada, plus the effect of the fruit that Alex had given him was still effecting him. When they were level she turned her head and saw him. And she started to laugh! He started to run over to her. Alex saw him next to her, and suddenly she wasn't angry with him anymore. Even though he looked livid she was having the time of her life. He started to get closer to her. She pretended not to take any notice. If he was going to play with her, then she was going to play with him. Suddenly Nuada jumped. They found themselves rolling over one another, until one of them pined the other down. Alex smiled as she felt Nuada grab her shoulders and slam her to the ground.

Nuada saw her smile. "Why are you smiling?" he said as he shook her. Wink came up from behind them.

Alex then tilted her head, still smiling. "You are such an egomaniac elf that you don't know anything about vampires." She raised her curled fist right where his head would have been if it wasn't for Wink. At the last minute Wink grabbed his prince and pulled him back. Alex swung full force, using her momentum to end up on her feet. The vampire stared at the elf.

"Why are you such an asshole?" she asked as she crossed her arms.

Nuada frowned. "I do not understand."

Alex took a step forward. "First you attack me for no reason," she took a step forward. "Second you hold one of my greatest friend's daughter hostage," she took another step. "Third you insult my family," another step. "Forth, you go _tackle _me for no reason," one last step. They were chest to chest. Alex could feel her heart speed up. She took a deep breath through her nose. She could smell him, his wonderful, beautiful, strong sent. He had no idea how _good_ he smelled. A vampire's noise was better than anything that was supposed to be on this world. He had no idea how hard it was just standing next to him, but all vampires were used to the pain. Not that it was really painful; she felt hunger or thirst just like anyone, but it was just harder to resist. _I have no idea what I just said. Plus I don't think I represented myself right. _It was a vampires' sense of smell and there hearing that made it hard. They could always smell blood, whether it is animal or human or their Dieaci. They could always hear a heartbeat. It, honestly, got old really fast.

"If I treat you so bad then why don't you leave?" he asked her.

She looked up at him. She was less than half an inch shorter than him. "I don't break promises," she said to him. She turned back and walked forward. Nuada watched and groaned.

"This woman is imposable," he said to Wink. They continued to walk forward. Three hours later Alex stopped.

"What is it?" Wink asked.

Alex turned to him. "What did he say?"

"He asked 'what is it?'"

"We're here," she said pointing to a small farm. They walked forward until the saw a small house with a barn next to it. They walked to the front door.

Alex rubbed her chin. "Do you think we should nock or just burst in?" Both men just looked at her. "Fine. I'll knock," she said. She nocked. Nuada couldn't help but look around. The place was filthy; the grass was either dead or nonexistent. The chickens that walked around looked healthy enough, but the cow was almost dead. The door opened to see a teen aged girl with skin like varnished wood and beetle black hair.

The girl watched them for a few moments through her purple eyes. "Mom," she said shakily.

A woman with black hair the same shade as the teenager came to the door. Her brown eyes widened in surprise. "Alex!" The woman looked behind the vampire to the elf and the troll. Then she looked around outside, making sure that no one was there. "Come inside, quickly!" She moved aside to let them. "Ivy! Go and get some proper clothes on," she said gesturing to the girl's pink nightclothes. The girl, Ivy, blushed a color that almost looked like sap, and raced up the stairs.

The girl's mother grabbed Alexandria's arm, and for some reason the vampire let herself be dragged along by this woman. She grabbed a boiling kettle and poured a dark liquid into a cup.

"It's so nice of you to drop by," she said as she handed Alex the cup. "I never get visitors."

"I wonder why?" Alex asked sarcastically as she took a sip of the dark liquid.

The mother picked up a wooden spoon off the table and hit her on top of the head with it. "Hush, remember what you learned about respecting your elders," the mother looked up at Nuada and Wink. "Are going to introduce me to your friends?"

"Oh, right. Sorry." Alex took another sip of the tea. It wasn't that bad. "This is Nuada, and his friend is…" she blinked and looked at Wink. "I am so sorry, but I never asked your name."

"His name is Wink," he said sternly.

The mother gestured to the two remaining chairs. "Please, help yourself."

Nuada said nothing, but he did sit down. Wink, on the other hand, remand standing.

"It's so nice that you can to visit me, Alex. Especially with your friend. I always said that you need to settle down and now that you have-"

She was cut off by Alex choking on her tea. "Lia, Nuada and I aren't…" she stopped and looked at Nuada. "I mean that were not…"

Nuada looked from Lia to Alex. "She is not my mate," he said firmly. Lia visibly hardened.

"Well, it's about time you should," Lia said shaking the wooden spoon. "A young girl like you should have her pick of a husband."

Alex snorted. "We both know that no man would have me."

Lia softened again. "Well, there is hope yet. Know, what do you need?"

"Train Tickets," answered Alex with a smile.

Lia gave a small snicker. "You haven't heard about the new law then."

Alex and Nuada looked at each other. "What new law?" Nuada asked while glaring at Alex.

Lia smiled. "It has become law that women wear skirts while on the rails." She smiled at Alex.

Alex shook her head. "No. No, no, no, no, no, no," she walked towards the door.

"Alex!" Alex turned to the mother. "You forgot your cloak." Alex reached for her cloak. Nuada snatched it up.

"Give it!" she yelled at him. He didn't let go. She shrugged and walked out the door. He looked the cloak in his hand and groaned. Quickly he walked after her. She was half way to the barn when Nuada grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. After seeing all of her exposed skin was starting to peel off he wrapped the cloak around her. She clung to the cloak, bring it closer.

"I am very glad that I don't burn instantly," she commented. She continued to walk to the barn. Nuada was about to follow her when he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder.

"She needs to be left along for a while, sire," his fateful friend said.

"I do not understand."

"The vampire is a warrior. She would want to wear a dress about as much as you."

Nuada frowned. "There is a difference."

"She does not see one."

Nuada sneered. "How could she not. Women wear dresses. That are how it is. That is how it has always been, and always will be. Who is she to change that?"

Wink shook his head. "You do not understand where she grew up. In Vampire women wear pants as much as they wear dresses. Some, like Alex, do not wear dresses at all. And they are accepted in society. They are who they are, and in their world they are allowed to be who they are. They can be no one else. But that is not how we do it here. And she does not understand. And will never understand. She is very much the feminist."

Nuada looked at Wink. "How do you know this?"

Wink gave a small chuckle. "I've been around for a long time, my prince. And I have met many people. And all have learned much from these travels."

"Then do you know whom Alexandria was talking about earlier? She said that she would not speak them so close to open season. What did she mean?"

Wink itched his chin. "I am not sure. I have never heard anything like what she said this morning."

Nuada frowned.

Later that evening Alex sat on the roof of the barn, staring up at the stars. She could hear three people snoring, but one was still awake, and he was trying to decide whether to come up and talk to her or not. She smelled him getting closer, she heard him starting to climb the later to the hayloft, and then climb through the large hole in the roof.

"Alexandria," he said as he pulled himself out of the hole.

She turned to him. "Nuada." And she laid down on the roof, looking at the stars. She could hear him getting closer. When he was right next to her she looked up. He looked down on her with confusion, he was almost studying her. Trying to figure out what made her her. She couldn't help but smile.

"You can't just look at me and figure me out. You're going to have to try harder," she said as she watched the stars.

"Who are you?" he asked shaking his head.

She didn't even have to turn to him. She had heard the question a million times before. "I am Alexandria Josefina Victorsin. I am a vampire. I am me," and she said no more.

He shook his head. She looked up at him and smiled. She patted the roof next to her. Slowly he sat down. "Who were you talking about before?"

Alex bit her lip and sat up. "It's not good to talk about them, but oh well." She put her arms around her legs. "I am not going to say their names, but I can tell you what little I know."

"Why did you say that you aren't going to speak about them this close to open season? What is open season?" he asked crossing his legs.

Alex took a deep breath. "Open season is when they let their haunts out to play. It's called open season because that when they can play with anyone, well almost anyone. Open season is also called Fall." Alex looked off. "The season of fear."

"Why do they scare people?"

Alex shrugged and leaned on her hand. "Sometimes people are too proud and need to be scared. Others aren't scared of the haunts' masters so them they scare them. Some scare to stop what happened to them from happening to other people. Some scare for fun, others for treats. Others are just doing what their told." She stopped and pointed. Nuada followed her hand to see the young girl. She was looking around franticly, as though something was about to jump out and eat her. "The haunts are more common in human lands then in fey, but sometimes they cross over. Everyone has had contact with a haunt at least once in their lives. Mostly you see them when you're a child, when you believe everything, but sometimes the person is just too head strong, or proud, or brave to admit that their afraid. Ivy is probably to head strong, and that's why they'll come and scare her this year. And the next year. And the nest year. Until she learns her place."

"You talk as though being head strong or brave are bad things."

Alex shook her head and closed her eyes. "I am a very head strong girl. That's part of the reason I can't find a man. I have a bad habit of pushing the envelope. But I know my place when it comes to minor gods."

Nuada stared at Alex. "The haunts work for minor gods?"

Alex looked at him with weary eyes. "Yep."

Nuada looked closely at her. "You have seen one before."

She nodded. "Not a haunt, but just as scary."

"When did this happen?"

"A few months after my mother did, about a week and a half after the Great War ended."

Nuada thought carefully before going on. He was going into hallowed ground. "What happened?"

She shook her head again and looked away. "I don't like to talk about it."

But Nuada thought up another question. "If they only get Autumn to scare people then why was Ivy scared now?"

"They have people living here year round. They spread rumors, tell tales, and even kill to keep people scared. They get everything ready for the haunts arrival. These I have met many of."

Nuada frowned a little. "Why don't they just keep the haunts here year round?"

"They don't need people scared all of the time. The ones that stay here year round aren't usually as powerful as the ones that only come out at Fall, but you can't define a species by only a few individuals."

"What happened to the ones that tried to scare you?"

Alex gave Nuada a meaningful look. "I kill them. Most try to stay away from me as soon as they know my reputation."

"Why do they usually stay in human lands?"

Alex smiled. "Are we playing 'twenty questions'? The humans have a bad problem of forgetting their place when it comes to the gods. And when that happens the gods let the minor gods know, and the minor gods send out their minions. Sometimes they break their words or insult one of the gods or minor gods. At those times the haunts are called to."

"Just like a human," he commented.

Alex looked at him and frowned a little. Then she laid back and looked at the stars. He just looked at her.

"Are you going to come with us?" he asked suddenly.

She smiled. "You mean 'are you going to wear a dress?'" she shrugged. "I guess so. I want to go, you need me to go, and also it might be fun. I haven't worn a dress since the new queen came to power."

"How long ago was that?"

"About two years, maybe more."

Nuada shook his head. "How can you ignore tradition?"

She shook her head, got up, and walked over to the hole. "Just because you like to wear skirts doesn't mean I like to."

She started to laugh when Nuada chased after her.


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Hellboy, Nuada or Wink. Alex I do. Please don't use Alex.**

Alex was the first to wake up. She only needed about four hours of sleep. It was better to get up before the sun, anyway. She limped out of the hay bale that she and Nuada had slept in. She turned at looked at him. His hair was full of straw, he was sleeping upside down, and one of his arms was thrown out an awkward angel, but he was still so handsome it wasn't even funny. _Why is he here? What is he looking for?_ She almost fell when she climbed down the latter. Slowly she walked to the house. When she got there she didn't knock. She didn't have to. Ivy and Lia were already standing there.

"Alex, good, you're here. Ivy will take you up to her room and see if we can find anything in your size," she said as she fixed some breakfast. Alex followed the daughter up the stairs, almost tripping. When she got to the bed room she found Ivy already going through her closet humming three short, strong, beautiful notes.

"I think that I only have two things in your size, you're so much taller than me," she said as she pulled out a light blue sweater and a long white skirt. Slowly Alex pulled off her shirt, tank top and pants. She carefully shimmied on the white skirt. It constantly moved and for some strange reason it made her look more graceful. Ivy bit her lip when she saw her bra.

"Do you have a strapless bra?" she asked. When Alex shook her head Ivy sighed. When Ivy went over to the closet Alex shook her head.

"No. There is no way I'm wearing a strapless bra," she said as she backed up. Landing weird on her ankle she winced and landed on the bed.

Ivy crossed her arms. "Okay, do you have an idea?"

Alex thought for a minute. Then she grabbed her left strap and pulled it off. Next she grabbed the sweeter and pulled that on so that it hung loss on the left side. Ivy shrugged and grabbed to lace up boots.

Alex groaned. "High heels," she said as Ivy laced the higher that ankle boots.

"They could have been a lot higher," Ivy commented as she pulled the other one on her foot. Alex gave a small whimper when Ivy started to lace it. Ignoring the whimper Ivy continued.

"I found its body," Ivy said softly. Alex nodded. "I'm going to hid it," the half human said again. Alex nodded again. Together they exited the room, and again Alex almost fell down the stairs. This time it was because of the high heels, which truth be told weren't that high. She walked out of the house and went back to the barn. Laying on one of the many pieces of random wood was her cloak. She put it on along with her gloves. But unlike the other time she buttoned it. The buttons started at her neck and ended at her hips, so that all of her white skirt and the end of the sweater. She pulled up her hood and waited for the boys to get up.

Nuada woke early in the morning. He looked over to discover that Alex wasn't there. He climbed down from the hay loft to find Wink eating a piece of bread and a figure in a black cloak with red and gold lining eating a fruit. Along with the buttoned up cloak was a long white skirt that billowed everywhere. Nuada approached the figure.

"Alexandria?" he asked cautiously. The figure looked at him.

"Please don't laugh," she said as she pulled down her hood.

The two stared at each other until Wink spoke.

"When are we going?" Wink asked.

Nuada stared for a little more before answering. "Right now," and with that he marched out of the barn. Wink followed and Alex limped behind both of them. After waving good bye to her friends Alex went and walked by Nuada, with Wink behind them. She limped for about an hour, and Nuada noticed that she was trying to mask it with her skirt.

Nuada grabbed her and turned her around. "Why are you limping?"

Alex took a step back, only to wince when her right foot came in contact with the ground. "Do you want the truth or the lie that I have prepared beforehand?"

"I want to hear the lie," Wink said from behind them. Nuada looked at him. "What, I want to hear what she came up with."

Alex looked at Wink. "Wait. Can he understand what I'm saying? He can understand me but I can't understand him? That's so not fare."

Nuada looked at her next. "He wants to hear the lie."

Alex shrugged. "I fell."

Wink and Nuada looked at each other. "What really happened?"

Alex bit her lip and looked around. She started to walk forward again. "Remember when I said about them not like being talked about?"

Nuada looked at Alex and started to walk after her. "They attacked you?"

Alex took of her back pack and stopped. Nuada and Wink stopped with her. Out of her bag she pulled a head. The face looked malnourished and a little skeletal, but he was human.

"He looks human to me," Wink said looking at the head.

"What did he say?"

After Nuada translated Alex shook her head. "That's because of their glamor. Close your eyes and smell it." The men looked at her like she was crazy. "Smell it," she said louder.

Nuada took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Nuada nearly gagged when he smelled it. It smelled like rotting flesh, blood, and maggots. It was impossible for it to smell this bad when it was only killed last night. When he opened his eyes he jumped back in shock. Instead of the thin face the head looked like a skeleton's head with hair. He watched as Wink smelled it and jumped back when he saw it too. After they were done smelling it she shoved it back into her bag. After that she continued to walk. The men looked at each other then walked after her.

"What was that?" Nuada asked.

"Their called changelings. Some of them are the haunts that I told you about last night."

"Why did we have to smell them to truly see them?"

Alex bit her lip. "You could tell the difference between the changeling and the way it appeared. When you knew that it was different it didn't need to hide. That's how I tell them apart, through smell."

Nuada looked at her bag. _What else was in that thing?_ "So you see them how they always are?"

Alex nodded. Nuada shook his head. "Now that we can tell the difference can we see all of them?"

Alex shook her head. "No. Like people each changeling is different from the next. Most of the time the only way you could tell the difference with smell is if you stuck your nose in someone's armpit. The only reason you could smell this one is because its smell is very strong. It's a blessing not being able to see them. They play less attention to you."

"How could you smell them apart?" Wink asked.

Alex only looked at Nuada with a raised eyebrow. When he got done translating she answered the question. "I have a strong nose. Stronger than most." After she got done she started to walk again, limping all the way.

Nuada looked at his friend. "If you want one of us to carry you I think that we would be most obliged. We don't want to see a hurt lady walk the rest of the way."

Alex turned and gave Nuada a look that was so full of rage that he would have burned to a crisp if looks could kill. "I might just have to kill you," she said. Wink jumped in front of Nuada.

Nuada scrunched his eyebrows. "I was just being a gentleman. How could that have cost me my life?"

The vampire continued to glare at him. "I don't need your help. I have walked farther distances and on greater injuries. And I'm not a lady," and with that she turned and walked forward. Almost after three steps she tripped and fell face first in the dirt. She got up and looked back at the men. "Okay, I have never walked those great distances in high heels before. Sue me." And she went back to walking.

The men stared after her for a while. "And those heels aren't very high," Wink commented. They walked for hours afterward, Alex in the front and Nuada and Wink staying as far away from her as possible. After a few hours she stopped and looked at Nuada.

"You might want to put on your glamor," she said as she pointed to the town. She turned back and continued to walk. Nuada shook his head, but put on his glamor none the less. Wink followed both of them shaking his head.

"How on earth did I miss seeing that?" the troll thought out loud.

The men continued to walk when Alex stopped suddenly and turned to them. When they were with her she went into her bag. Out she pulled a cloak, brown and dirty. She tossed it to Wink, who put it on.

"People are allowed to have fey servants, but they have to be covered in public, so they don't scare the children, not that there's any there," she handed her bag to Wink and looked at Nuada with a raised eye brow.

"Yes?" he said with irritation. _What does she want?_

Alex licked her lips, and then bit them. She reached out and took Nuada's hand and placed it on her hip, so that his arm was around her. The men looked at her with surprise. She just looked back at them.

"What? I'm posing as his wife, remember? This is an extremely sexist town, that's why I stay in the border towns."

"How sexist is it?" Nuada asked quietly.

Alex snorted. "So sexist that if a woman gets raped it isn't a crime if she isn't married."

Nuada looked at the vampire. _She's very tall, almost as tall as my sister. Maybe a few centimeters shorter at most._ "Is that why you put my arm around you? Are you afraid of getting raped?"

Alex rolled her eyes and looked at the man, their faces only an inch and a half away from each other. "No. I just really don't feel like killing someone today. Then they would try to kill me, then when they find out that I'm not human they would call the Freak Patrol, then they would try to kill me, then I'll have to kill them, and that would just be a mess."

Nuada looked at the woman, and then started forward pulling the vampire along with him. When they got to the town Alex could already feel some of the men's hungry glances at her. She moved closer to the elf.

Folding her hand together and putting her head down like she's seen a "good" wife do she spoke to him. "Please keep me close." Nuada looked down at the vampire. She looked mad. She didn't like to controlled like this. She wasn't like the other women that he seen walking past them, the ones with the blank looks in their eyes. But for some reason she was letting herself be pulled through the street like a cow.

"Try to find a inn," she said, breathing on his ear. Nuada bit his lip. Elven ears were very sensitive. He pulled her along until he saw a sign. He started to walk towards the inn. When they were inside Nuada looked through the poor lighting to see the desk.

When they approached the front desk the man looked at the three of them, his eyes lingering on Alex. After a few seconds he turned back to Nuada.

"Welcome to the inn. How many nights will you be staying?" the front desk man said.

"One."

The man wrote this down. "And how many?"

"Thr-" Nuada started when Alex stepped on his foot. "Two and a fey," she said.

The man smiled at Alex. "Ah, you can talk. And what is your name?"

"Victorsin," she said a little too sternly.

The man scratched his head. "That is an unusual name for a woman."

"Family name," she said as she moved closer to Nuada, placing her hand on his.

"Oh," the man said a little too disappointed. "The troll will have to sleep in the stable, you and wife will have room 13," he said to Nuada. "Oh, and I never asked your name."

Before Nuada could answer him Alex did. "Nickolas and Amanda Victorsin."

The man nodded and handed them the key. "My wife will show your troll to the stable, and my daughter will show you to your room." Out of the door behind the man came a stout woman with brown hair and a girl about Ivy's age. The woman bit her lip then went over to Wink. The girl put her hands in front of her, asking them if they wanted to go first. When Nuada shook his head the girl shrugged and started up the stairs.

As Nuada and Alex followed the girl she ran her hand through her lemon hair. When they got to a room with a large number 13 on the front of it she opened the door. It wasn't the best room, with only a bed and a bed side table. Nuada and Alex walked in and looked around. On the wall opposite the bed was a wooden door. Behind them they heard the scratching of a quill on a piece of parchment. When they turned around the girl was holing out the parchment to them. Alex took it and read it. On it it said:

Sorry about the room. Best we got this time of year. I'll bring your dinner up later and with that I'll bring your bath.

Alex handed the note to Nuada, who looked like he was about to complain. He read it and nodded, but still looked angered. Alex rolled her eyes at him and reached into her boot. Wincing she pulled out a gold coin and tossed it to the girl. The girl's eyes went wide and bowed her head a little. Slowly she backed out of the room, holding the gold like it was something sacred and like Alex was about to suddenly about to take it back.

When she had left Nuada glared at Alex. "Why did you do that?"

Alex sat down on the bed and removed her left shoe. "It was the fastest way to get her to leave."

Nuada looked at the one bed. "They should have given us a room with two beds."

Alex tried to pull of her right shoe, but she couldn't without feeling pounding pain. "They thought that we're married. Why would they give us a room with two beds?" She gritted her teeth and pulled again. It was no use, it hurt too much. She looked at Nuada and rolled her eyes.

"Hey! Nuada, I need your help," she said sticking out her foot.

Nuada gave her a sinister half smile. "Now you want my help?"

"Yeah. I need a heartless someone without any empathy or feelings toward another person. Now can you help me?"

Nuada scowled at the vampire, but none the less he reached to take off her boot. Trying to do it carefully didn't seem to work, every time her ankle moved she gritted her teeth in pain. Nuada suddenly pulled, and off came the boot with a sickening crack. He looked down at her to see that he had broken her ankle. He held out his arms as an offer to help her up, but she glared at the hand and stood up herself.

"Hmmm. Well I'm out of the boot," she said happily. She laid down on the bed and propped her foot on the pillows. Nuada curled his lip when he saw something move under her skin. It almost looked like tentacles. She saw him staring.

"Super-fast healing factor. It's so cool," she said as she watched her foot for a few moments. After the thing in her ankle stopped moving she stood up, and to Nuada's amazement started to walk around. After testing out her healing job she sat back on the bed. "The things you saw moving were my bones, they liquefy, move back into the spot where their spose to be, then harden again."

Nuada looked at her and shook his head. "What is wrong with you?" he asked. Alex said nothing and looked down. Nuada didn't see that her smile had vanished or that her eyes were full of hurt. But he did see her smile again. And that made him shake his head even more. "Why are you smiling?"

"Eating time," she half lied. That wasn't the reason she was smiling, but she could smell the girl bringing her food up the stairs, along with the bath water. It seemed like a good idea to lie, he would never understand.

The girl came in caring a food platter in one hand and a boiling bucket of water in the next. Alex took a large smell of the air and launched herself through the air to the girl.

"Chicken!" she yelled as she took a bit of the dead bird and took a huge bit of it. Moaning, she laid back on the bed. The girl's shoulders shook with silent laughter when she handed Nuada the plate. He scowled at the plate, but before he could complain she went into the wooden door. She emptied the bucket the tub.

"You're going to need more water," Nuada said from behind her.

She nodded, completely unfazed. She left the room, going to get some more water.

Nuada growled at the girl, even though she wasn't there. "Why does she not talk?"

"She's mute. But she seems too happy for someone who almost died," Alex said quickly, and then slapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she said. She looked away from his, almost with panic.

"What do you mean?" he asked sternly. She just shook her head. He was about ask again when the girl came back carrying two buckets. She dumped them in the tub she stopped and bit her lip. She taped her hand on the wall three times. Then Alex pulled out her flute and played three notes. The same short, strong, beautiful notes he had heard her play before. He looked at the two girls, wishing he could see the connection.

But those two weren't the only ones who were connected.

A man suddenly beet on the table with his fork three times when he and his wife were having dinner, she didn't even glace up.

A boy who was a violin prodigy when he was younger could only play three notes now, the same short, strong, beautiful notes.

A girl who could have been married by now was still in her parents' home when she clicked her tongue three times, looking out at the moon.

A blue man with no hair and webbed hand stopped reading and whistled three times. His wolf friend looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

All of the children born three years before or during the Great War, except for three, made three sounds whatever way they could. And that's not the scary part.

The scary part is that there is only fifteen remained. Of all the hundreds of children born 3 years before or during the war, any race, whether it is human or fay or any in the middle, only fifteen lived in this world.

And twelve of them made three short, strong, beautiful notes at the same time.


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own Nuada or Wink. Warning: There is mild sexual description and sex briefly, nothing too bad**

Alex looked from her chicken to Nuada. The girl had just let after filling up her bath. Sighing she ate the rest up in one bight and headed for the bathroom.

"I'm going to take a bath," she told him. He only nodded. _I hurt his fragile male ego. Lucky me,_ she thought. She went into the bathroom and closed the door after her. She pulled off all of her clothes and got into the bath. It was a bit short for her, so half her arms and legs stuck out. Her long hair was pulled out of the tub, so that it hung over the front of the tub. The large amount of bubbles covered the whole tub, just in case someone was stupid enough to come in.

Nuada looked at the door that Alex had just gone through. He took of his shirts and armor. She did not seem to have a problem with seeing him unclothed from the waist up. _What was she taking about? What is she hiding?_ He sat down on the bed, blowing his hair out of his face. He grabbed a chunk of his hair, looking at its length. He really did need a haircut. Grabbing a knife from his belt he went into the bathroom. He briefly glanced at Alex, seeing that she was asleep. To his horror he blushed at bit, his face turning a genital gold color. Gritting his teeth he turned to the mirror, holding the blade to his hair.

"What the fuck are you doing!" Nuada turned quickly, cutting himself with the knife, to see that Alex had woken up; she was both trying to stay in the water, and figure out a way out. He looked down at his cut. It was on the under of his forearm, along his veins. Alex looked at the cut with horror, wishing that she was clothed so she could taste his gold blood. She bit her lip and turned away. He tried to rush out of the bathroom, only to slip on one of Alex's clothing and the wet floors. He fell into the tub with a splash. He had landed sideways so that he was across Alex's lap. She looked down on him with want. She grabbed his throat and pushed him against the foot of the tub. With one hand on his shoulder holding him back, and one holding his left wrist she began to drink from the wound.

Nuada blinked twice when he felt her tongue touch his skin. He looked at his left arm, seeing her lick his blood from his skin. He looked down instead. Their chest were touching, hers pushing against his. With every breath she breathed her breasts would balloon, moving them up. He couldn't see the rest of her body; it was covered by the soapsuds. With his right hand he gently traced the heart shape that formed.

Opening her eyes wide she pulled back from him. Nuada didn't seem to mind, watching all of her white mounds, including her light rose tips. Hissing, when she figured out what he was staring at, she pulled back her hand and back handing him across the face. Using his confusion she escaped out of the room.

Nuada watched her go. He calmly got out of the bath and walked into the bedroom. She stood there with her back to him, in her cloak. Walking over to her he pulled back her hood. She didn't move. He wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the feel of her skin under his. He wrapped one arm around her waist; the other wrapped around her went in between her breast and rested on her shoulder. She didn't move. He pressed his lips against her neck, kissing her slightly as he ran his lips over her skin. She didn't move. And all the while she was thinking. She could lose so much if someone found out about this, if they did it. But what could she gain? _I would get him, _she thought amazed as she looked down at his arms. She would own him, and he would own her. _Can I give myself to him?_ He felt one of his hands grab the clasp of her cloak. Grabbing his wrist she undid the clasp herself. _I can give myself to him if he can give himself to me. _

Nuada watched the cloak fall. Alex wasted no time, turning fast and grabbing his pants trying to them off of him. Her harsh hands bruised him before he was even undressed.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he grabbed her hand.

She smiled mockingly at him. "There are two things you must learn about me. First: I won't bend over and take anything. Second: You can't control me. I do as I please, I am wild." Nuada smiled. He always loved a fight. He thought that he would have to be soft on his first night, but it seemed that he would be fighting for something.

He brushed his hand over her cheek. "There is no need to prove yourself; you don't need to fight me."

She continued to smile at him. "I will not fight you to save myself from you. I fight to see if you can handle me. I fight because I'm a fighter, and because it's fun. It has nothing to do with you. If you could you would try to control, but you won't. I'm too strong."

Nuada pulled off the rest of his clothes. "I believe I can handle you."

Alex chuckled at him. Suddenly her smile dropped. She grabbed a confused Nuada and slammed him against the wall above the bed. Grabbing his shoulders again she spun them around and landed with Nuada on the bed with him below her. "You had better hope that you can handle me, because you might find yourself being raped instead of making love. I'm not going to hold back."

"I'm not asking you to," he said, getting angrier by the minute. But all that anger seemed to disappear when she leaned down and kissed him. It was a soft kiss, not at all harsh or strong. And he kissed her back, with the same softness. Her hands left his shoulders and tangled themselves in his hair. His hand wrapped around her waist, and when her lips left his to find his ear he held her closer.

"And it begins," she whispered into his ear, right before she attacked him. And he attacked her back.


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own Hellboy. Does anyone on this website own anything? **

Nuada woke with a start. He jumped out of the bed, looking around. All of her clothes were gone, but thankfully his weren't. _Oh lords. What have I done? _He pulled on his pants and shoes. _She is gone. She is my mate. That vampire is my __**Mate. **_He pulled on his shirts and armor. He went into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. He watched his elven appearance change into a human one. His royal birthmark stayed the same, but his hair, skin, eyes, even his clothes changed to a more "acceptable" one. When he was turning he something that didn't change with his glamor. Looking closely on his neck he saw two little round scars about an inch and a half apart. They were right on his artery. _She bit me. That vampire bit me. _

Controlling his anger he walked out of the room and down the stairs. Upon reaching the front desk the man looked at him.

"Ah. Mister Vistorsin," he said. "You wife came down minutes ago. She already gave back the key. She is waiting for you in stable." Nuada nodded at the man. He walked out to the stable to find Alex and Wink eating some of the food that she had in her bag. When she saw him coming she looked down. Nuada came and sat next to her, keeping his eyes on her. When she met his eyes she gave him a goofy half smile. When he glowered at her she rolled her eyes and pulled out a fruit. It wasn't the same as the one he had eaten last time, this one was round and purple. She tossed it to him and put on her cloak and gloves.

"The train leaves in ten minutes. We should probably get going," she said pointing to the door. He nodded and went over to her. When they were about to leave he yanked her to him, putting his arm around her. She snarled at him, but didn't pull away. But she did claw at his hand, scratching it with her nails. When she was done she put her fingers in her mouth, not willing to let his blood go to waste.

Nuada curled his lip as he watched this. Alex looked at him, saw his disgust, and turned away. As they came to the train Nuada noticed a small child looking at them.

"What is he looking at?" he asked angrily.

"You," Alex said sternly.

Nuada scoffed. "Why would he be looking at me?"

"He can see through your glamor. Instead of the handsome human with light brown hair and honey eyes he sees a handsome elf with golden eyes and light gold hair," she said roughly.

Nuada thought about this for a while when he caught something that she said. "You think I'm handsome?" he asked a little shyly.

"Doesn't everyone?" she answered. It was a bit cold, but there was some sympathy. He looked at the vampire again. She looked forward with determination, but under that there was some hurt. Nuada shook his head and looked forward. He needed to focuses. On anything but her. He needed to focuses on getting the crown piece. That was the objective here, not falling in love.

Nuada froze. _Where did that come from? _"Falling in love". He is not falling in love with her. He set out to find the crown piece and that is what he was going to do.

"Hey, if we stop then were going to miss the train." Nuada looked at Alex, who had stopped with him. She just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He just nodded and continued to walk.

Captain Victor MacHu was working for the train company. Most days he would be working with the Freak Patrol but he was on vacation. He was one of those guys that worked as much as possible. The only reason that he took a vacation in the first place it that it was forced upon him. He would be going back to work in a few days, and he couldn't wait.

He looked up to see an odd couple coming in. Both were very tall, but one looked as though he couldn't get enough of the sun, while the wife looked as though she was hiding from it. The man had long light brown hair and honey brown eyes. He had a scar across his face and several on his forehead. His hand looked a bit mangled, as though a cat had clawed it. The wife, of what he could see of her, had long dark hair and light skin. She moved like she was the master and not the wife that she was. He also moved like the master, but the hand on his wife's hip was loose. Behind them a troll walked, a cloak over it as the law said, but it looked around, searching for any possible threats to its masters.

"Good day, my fine people. And how can I be of service?" he asked as they got closer. The man handed him two tickets and a fey permit. Victor chuckled as he stamped the tickets. Not much for talking, these two.

"Why are you covered in such nice weather?" he asked Alex. "You must be steaming under that cloak."

"My wife is very particular about her modesty," the man said. The wife had opened her mouth to answer and when her husband answered for her she glared at him. Captain MacHu wrote some things down on his paper.

"Okay, I'll just need your names and you're free to go. Oh, ma'am, you may go now," he stood aside so Alex could get past.

"Wink, please lead Amanda to are car," the husband told the troll. The wife stepped forward and glared at her man as she past. The troll followed her, barely making it through the door. Captain MacHu watched them go.

"Names," he asked the husband.

"Nickolas and Amanda Victorsin."

Victor smiled as he heard their names. "And the troll's name?"

The husband raised an eyebrow. "Wink."

Victor nodded and wrote that down. "You have a nice day," he said as he stood away so the man could pass. Nickolas went right in without even saying' "thank you".

"Grumpy grouch," he muttered under his breath.

When Nuada reached the car he burst in. "Alexandria, how did…" he stopped when he realized that she wasn't in there. He turned to Wink. "Where is she?"

The troll shrugged his massive shoulders. "She said that she had to go to the bathroom. The only thing that we can do is wait."

Nuada groaned, but he did sit down. "Must she be so?"

Alex stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She tore off her skirt and sweater. She fixed her bra strap and then went to her boots. She tore at the laces until they gave way, then she tore them off and flung them at the wall. She grabbed her real clothes out of the bag she put them on hurriedly. She looked at her leather shoes and through them to the ground. She sat on the vanity, doing her best not to cry, and failing.

She was bound to him. That selfish elf. His blood was the only she could drink now, even the bloodroot that she had had this morning almost made her puke. If she didn't drink his blood she will die, maybe it would be a few years of starvation, but she would die. And he was_ disgusted _by her. If anyone knew that she had sex before she got married she would be labeled a whore, have to give up her title, become an outcast. She might even be put to death.

Alex leaned back, breaking the mirror. Tears rolled down her face as she swore in Vampire. She was such a fucking idiot! How many times did her father tell her: "Men are pigs. The just want to fuck you." She thought that he might have really cared about her. Why would he? Everyone hated her. Well, everyone except her brother and sister. And she had just met him!

And he was her Dieaci. His blood affected her the most. It helped her heal faster; it made her faster and stronger. His blood was the best thing she could ever taste. And now they were mates. It was any vampire's dream, except where he didn't like her drinking his blood. That's when it turned into a nightmare. She sits right next to him, smelling his beautiful smell, hearing his heartbeat.

She put her head into her hands, crying her eyes out. She half wished that he would come in and hold her. She snarled and stood up. She punched the wall again and again, leaving huge dents. She was a warrior. She didn't need to be held. But she wanted to be. Suddenly an evil smile came over her face. She did want to be held. But honestly she just wanted a hug. She hadn't had one since her parents died. There were some things that a person needed. Some things that he might be able to give her. But only if he wanted to be in a relationship. If they were going to be in a relationship then she would be herself. She would change only if he would. She was going to be herself if it killed her. She didn't want to hide anymore.

When Alex walked into the train car she was herself again. She hated everything that she had thought in the bathroom. She was going to ignore that voice that she had ignored again and again. She was a loser, but a badass loser. She needed to remind herself what the objective was again. Then she remembered that she had no idea what the objective was in the first place. She just needed to calm down and be herself. But which self? The badass, sarcastic warrior or the shy, annoying 15 year old? She smiled. _Don't think. Only act and react. _

Nuada leapt up when she came in. "Where have you been?" Nuada saw that her eyes were a bit puffy. She crossed over to the window and pulled down the curtain. She took off her cloak and her gloves and landed on the padded bed. She crossed her legs and put her arm over her eyes.

"I was in the bathroom." Nuada stared at her. Then he looked at Wink, who had fallen asleep ten minutes ago.

"That boy stared at me," he said sitting down.

"He could see though your glamor."

Nuada looked up. "How?"

Alex turned her head so that she could see him with one eye. "During the Great War the fey magic bombed that town. The towns' people still affected by that."

Nuada was confused. "But the Great War ended 12 years ago."

Alex raised one eyebrow. "I know. Magic takes years to full be worn away. And most magic can't be. It just keeps going, blessing or cursing those around it."

"How old were you when your father joined the fey forces?"

Alex sat up. "Why do you want to know?"

Nuada shrugged. "Perhaps I served with him. I might have known him."

Alex laughed. "Trust me; you would have known if it was him if you knew him." Her laughter faded. "He joined when I was thirteen. You're too young to have known him. You probably would have just joined just after he died."

"How did he die?"

Alex looked at him, eyes wide and watering. "He… he was one of the first line. He got put there because it's hard to kill a vampire. The only thing that I know was that when the sun came up one of the humans stabbed him. And I lost my father."

"And… you mother?"

Alex gave a half smile. "She died in a way that in some cultures is the only way or a woman to die an honorable dead." When Nuada waited for her to continue she did. "She died in birth to my little sister. I was the one holding her hand."

Nuada shook his head. "I don't understand."

"Well, when a woman gives birth her hand is usually held by her husband. It's his job to try and keep her calm and to keep her company and to make sure that she is pushing, you know stuff like that. But my father was dead. In that case it usually falls to a sibling to hold her hand, most of the time it's her sister. My aunt killed herself three days before my mother went into labor. She didn't have any more relatives except for my brother and me, but my brother was two. So I got the job." Alex looked down. "I held her hand as she died. She only had time to name her and hold her for a few seconds. She died knowing that she had a white hair. She died happy."

"Why did she want a girl with white hair?"

"She didn't care that it was a girl. She knew that it was a girl when she went into labor."

Nuada tiled his head. "Why did she want a white hair?" Alex shook her head, fingering her ink black curls. Nuada nodded, understanding how she felt. He knew how it felt not being concentered good enough by a parent. But he had more questions. "How did she know that your sister was going to be a girl?"

Alex bit her lip. "There is a curse that runs down the family line. The women can't bare sons."

"But you have a brother."

The vampire moved her head back and forth, as though she was weighing something in her head. "Well, technically he's my half-brother. My parents didn't think that Mom could reproduce after me so they got a donor. Her name was Isabelle. She was really nice, as far as humans go," she ended with a chuckle.

Nuada curled his lip a bit. "You brother is half _human_?"

Alex nodded happily. "Yeah. Mom was a bit jealous when she found out Jake was a boy. She wanted to blame the fact that she couldn't have boys on Dad, but she got over it when she found out that Isabelle died."

"How could your mother blame your father even though it was passed down her line?"

Alex sat with her legs crossed, looking happier by the minute. "When vampires get married they have this symbolic 'mixing of the bloods'. So she thought that when their blood mixed the curse affected him so that all of his girl sperm would die or whatever. But since it's the girl's fault it's something much more horrible."

Nuada bit his lip. "So if we have any children they would be girls?"

Alex looked at him and bit her lip too. "If I could have children some may start out boys, that's not really my chose, but they would… die before I could give birth."

Nuada frowned. "What do you mean 'if I could have children'?"

Alex looked away. "I can't have children. Something happened when I was younger, it completely destroyed my ovaries. I… can't have children. That's part of the reason that I can't get a man. Everyone knows, and no one wants a woman who can't have kids."

Nuada looked blankly at the wall. Surprise and horror bit away at his insides. He could never be a father. He had never really thought about it, he always assumed that it would just happen. "Why didn't you tell me last night?"

Alex brought her knees to her chest, protecting herself. "I didn't really have time."

"But you had time enough to throw me into the wall," he said getting up.

Alex stood up too. "Would that have made a difference? You were too horny to spell your name, let alone process that."

"How would you know?"

"Do you regret it?" Both of them froze. Alex looked up at him. "Well? Do you regret it? I need to know."

"Why do you need to know?" He asked coolly. He wasn't talking loudly anymore. There was really no point. They were half a foot apart.

"I need to know that I'm some guy's mate. Not just some slut that he picked up off the street. Do You Regret It?"

Nuada looked at her. She was looking up at him as though her life depended on him. "I'm not sure." And he sat down. Alex stood there, looking at the spot where he once stood. She was disbelieving, not sure, even a little scared. She closed her eyes in defeat and sat down too.

"Earlier you said that I was too young to have joined the army when your father was in it. How would you know? Most say that I look older than I am," he said trying to start a conversation.

"They must have looked upon you with ignorant eyes. If you have fought in the Great War then you probably have had hardships," she said stiffly. He looked at her. She was hurting. Her eyes seemed made of liquid, ready to spill over at any moment.

"I'm sorry," he whispered bitterly, holding back a snarl. He had not meant to hurt her. He didn't need her hurt anymore then now. He closed his eyes, hoping that she wasn't going to do something stupid.

Alex looked at the elf. She went over to him and kneeled in front of him. She took both of her hand and grabbed his face. He opened his eyes in surprise to find Alex not three inches from him. She didn't look at his eyes. Instead she took her hand and ran her fingers over his birthmark. She traced it back and forth, watching him. Then she stopped and ran the back of her hand over his cheek. She still didn't meet his eyes, instead looking at his ears. Nuada stiffened. The ears of an elf were one of their most sensitive parts of their bodies. Her hand brushed over the tip of his ear, he bit his lip. Thankfully she wasn't trying to torture him so she brought her hand back down to his cheeks.

She finally met his eyes. She sat there, searching for something. She started to lean forward, and he didn't stop her. Three inches, two inches, one inch, half an inch, a few millimeters. Nuada started to lean forward too, and when he felt her lips on his he smiled a half smile. But Alex wasn't about to really _kiss_ him. She simply brushed her lips over his, letting him know what she wanted to do.

"I care if you regret it, but I need to tell you something." She leaned forward to his ear. "I _don't_." And with that she pulled away from him and sat down in her chair. She laid down so that her back was to him, so that she couldn't see the look on his face. _He must be horrified that a person like me loves a person like him,_ she thought. She fell asleep into a nightmare full of a knife, blood, water, and three short, strong, beautiful notes.

Nuada stared at her slumbering form. He absently mindedly inched his ear. He leaned back and combed his hair with his fingers. This was getting very complicated vary fast. _What does she want with me? _He laid back on the couch. He needed to sleep. He closed his eyes, trying to forget only for a moment, instead he remembered last night. How she touched him, she clawed at him, Nuada remembered her biting him. It happened just after they ended. He remembered how there was no pain. Only a bit of warmth going through his veins. He looked at his sleeping companions. They seemed utterly at peace. Then Alex's breath hitched. She turned so that Nuada could see her face. He watched as it went from anger to horror, and finally fear. The terror on her face made Nuada's blood run cold. She woke up and looked around, and when she saw Nuada she fell on the floor. She quickly stood up trying to look as dignified as possible, but it wasn't working well because she was still looking around for whatever scared her stiff. After a few moments she stopped and let out a breath of relief.

"Not here, I'm here, not now, back then," she said breathlessly. She looked around in sheer dread, as though someone was going to attack her. Alex swallowed gulps of air, trying to control her breathing, only to remember that she didn't have to breathe. So she just closed her mouth fighting the urge to breathe, fighting the urge, no, the _instinct_ to rip something to shreds. There was nothing to hurt, it was only a nightmare. The enemy only existed in her memories now, or so she hoped.

**Okay, how am I doing so far? Is the prince in character? What about the story? Favorite moments? Least Favorite? Do you think that Alex is a Mary Sue? Anyone know what the prince would do in a situation like that? What about the fact that she can't have kids? Comments? No flames please. Do you think that I should ask questions at the end of all the paragraphs? **


End file.
